The Irish standard., 1887-07-02
SLIPS OF SCIENCE.

A GERMAN professor Of eontology ad-
vances the theory of the South Pole as q
center of dispersion of animals for the
Southern Hemisphere, as the North Pole
is believed to have been for the Northern.
A FINE, non-triturable substance re.
sembling catechu and known as '.pyro-
fuxin" is one Of the latest products from
coal 1t is claimed to be Of great value in
the tanning Of leather. It il devoid Of any
taste or odor.
II clothes are passed through bath Of
chloride Of zinc heated to about sixty de-
grees after they have been starched in the
usual way, the starch will be retained
through several successive washings, and
exposure to dew or rain will not affect
them.
SCIENTIFIC analysis gives to 2080 pounds
of barley the following constituents: Pot
ash, 152 pounds; soda, 16 ounces; lime,
10 ounces; magnesia, GA ounces; phospho-
ric acid, 258 ounces; sulphur, Al ounces;
chlorine, 6 ounces; silica, 1872 ounces, and
nitrogen, $50 ounces.
OPTHALMo1oa1sTs are of the opinion that
the incandescent light is beneficial to eyes
that have been exposed to imperfect re-
fraction or exceedingly brilliant arc lights.
A prominent oculist who has examined
over one thousand persons that have used
the electric light says not single instance
Of injury has come under his observation.
AN English paper On engineering has
observed that molten iron seen during q
casting of several tons is transparent.
Bodies seen through the molten stream ap.
peared tinged with yellow. It is thought
the phenomena is new to many in the iron
industry, yet there are many, no doubt,
who can confirm the result Of this oh.
servation.
The river thyme, which has been gen.
orally voted a nuisance, choking up ponds
and rivers with its rapid growth, is now
thought to be remarkable health plant.
A German doctor has discovered that in
his district malaria and diarrhoea have de.
creased since the water thyme began to in
fest the streams The plant feeds on de.
cayed vegetable matter, ETC., which are
supposed to breed disease germs>
The coloring OF iron ls now accom-
plished in Germany by simple process.
A mixture is made of solution Of one
hundred and forty grains of hyposulphite
of sodium in one litre of water, and Of a
solution Of thirty-five grains of acetate OF
lead in one litre of water; this is heated
to the boiling point, and piece of iron
ing like that which is obtained by anneal-
wrought or cast iron, be plunged into
melted sulphur, to which has been added
little SCOT, there will be formed a black
coating of sulphite Of iron. susceptible OF
very beautiful polish.
reinforced by an excellent article of oil
produced from the eucalyptus tree of
Queensland. The leaves Of this tree are
similar to those Of the lemon-scented
verbena, and the yield is two and three
fourths per cent. of volatile oil of O.901
specific gravity. Already, as it appears,
the demand for this 1emon-grass oil has
reached considerable figure, more than
IL, 900 ounces having been exported from
Ceylon in single year, and large quanti-
ties Of it are manufactured at Singapore.
The odor of the oil is said to be quite diff.
ferent from that of the eucalyptus citri-
odora, which resembles and might be sub
stituted for citronelle oil.
: FROM scientific sources the following
information regarding the sun is CLEANED:
Its diameter is over eight hundred and
nifty thousand miles, and its circumfer-
ence, or distance around it, more than two
million five hundred thousand miles. A per-
son travelling at the rate of thirty miles
day would travel around the world in
less than two and half years. To travel
around the sun, at the same rate, would
require about two hundred and thirty
years; and train of cars, proceeding at
the rate of thirty miles an hour, day and
night would require about ten years to
complete the circuit. The moon is two
hundred and rty thousand miles from
the EARTH, Yet, if the center of the sun
were placed where the center of the
earth is, it woull cover and include the
moon. and reach nearly two hundred thou
sand miles beyond her orbit in every di-
rectiOn